Deborah Ledford, CIC, CPIW, DAE has continued to be a part of our association by dual membership.  She moved to Baton Rouge to pursue a better opportunity and, of course, looked up the Baton Rouge Insurance Women.  In such a short time she has become a vital member of that association, serving her second term as President.  Really proud of her.

With one political convention over and another later this month, I urge each of you to start studying the issues and each of the candidates so you will be able to make a voting decision on something more that “who has the best hair.”

Remember school is starting, be on the look out for the children and buses.  Also, if you have a teenager be sure to give them the “Jesus” talk.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you may not have been in insurance long enough.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt to add that you, as parents, have everything you own or hope to own riding with them.

Something to ponder – Nothing motivates a person more than to see his boss putting in an honest day’s work.

August

The next deadline to apply for an Education Foundation Scholarship is September 1, 2004.  Get your applications ready!

National NAIW NEW Address: 1847 E. 15th St. Tulsa, OK 74104-4610.  Send all standard mail to this address.
Send check or payments to National NAIW: Dept. 1400 P.O. Box 21820 Tulsa, OK 74101-1820

Recent warnings from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of potential terror threats targeting financial institutions in New York, Washington, and northern New Jersey could potentially hasten legislative efforts to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, while insurers might be forced to take a closer look at whether pricing for insurance written under the act has been softening prematurely, observers said.

New studies of the Bush and Kerry campaigns' health-care proposals show that Sen. John Kerry's plan to cover the uninsured would bring insurance to roughly 13 times as many Americans as Bush's -- but that plan would also cost about seven times as much.

Commissioner of Insurance George Dale announced July 15, 2004, that Hinds County Chancellor William Singletary has approved an Order of Rehabilitation allowing Commissioner Dale’s office to assume control of the business affairs of the financially troubled Family Health Care Plus, Inc. (FHCP), a Mississippi domiciled health maintenance organization (HMO.)

Since March 1, 2004, the HMO has been in voluntary run off, but pursuant to Mississippi law the enrollees have up to one year to file a claim.  Commissioner Dale’s office was alerted to possible financial problems due to complaints by providers and enrollees about late or non-payment of claims.  The HMO was already on monthly financial reporting and met with MID representatives on July 8, 2004, and filed an amended May, 2004 financial statement revealing that they had a net worth of $187,146.00.  Pursuant to Mississippi law, HMOs are required to maintain a minimum net worth of $1,000,000.00 at all times.  It was also revealed that the HMO may have insufficient funds to cover checks that have already been issued to pay outstanding claims.  In addition, the HMO may not have sufficient funds to cover the remaining claims that have been filed, but not paid of as of this date.

Under the rehabilitation order, Commissioner Dale will install his own management team to run the ailing HMO until its financial affairs are back in order or until it is determined that the company should be liquidated or sold.

FHCP had recently been a provider in the commercial market including Hinds County and Dillards, in addition to previously being a Medicare HMO and a Medicaid HMO.

Pursuant to Mississippi law, the enrollees will only be responsible for their co-pay or deductibles if they went in network for their treatment.  Under Mississippi law, the in network providers can not bill the patient/enrollee for the HMO’s portion of the bill if the procedure was covered by the plan.

Friendship Volunteer Fire Department has been upgraded to a protection class 8 Fire Grading District.

I can do no great things, only small things with great love.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta